Aether Chronicles: Birth Of A Legend

Raegar rose to his feet and stretched when hearing the cat woman's words, an audible crack of his bones popping through the air. Yuki's ears flicked at the sound, a subtle twitch betraying her keen senses.

With a warm smile, the pink-haired beauty stepped forward, offering him a sandwich as his stomach growled. He was embarrassed, but she waved him away with a sweet smile before he took the food.

''Here's breakfast,'' she said cheerfully. ''Eat up, and we'll hit the road.''

The two continued eating before leaving the room behind as adventurers left the inn. Raegar grabbed Yuki's hand, which made the young woman smile as the two headed toward the northern gate to meet Jasper.

Ten minutes later, she was back in the carriage with the Blackwood staff while he sat on the roof as they headed north. As the caravan travelled, thousands of people tended to the war-torn land.

'What are they doing?' he pondered.

Just then, Luthian's voice sounded from below. ''The empress has sent out mages to heal the land from all the battles that happened all across the south alongside the Nytheria Kingdom.''

''Is it over then? The war, I mean?'' Raegar questioned. ''I haven't seen any Korrvethians and Lunathyrians in a while.''

The older man nodded. ''Yes, General Vaelthorne routed the last enemy armies just before you two met, but after the wedding, we are heading north to aid Count Blackwood in his war against those strange creatures.''

''I wish you luck up there,'' he replied. ''I'll be Drakenwood in the northwest. I hope these monsters stay away, I want a break from all the fighting I've been doing.''

Luthian chuckled. ''Yes, a whole year in the Bloodfang Forest, then battling to the rest stop,'' he said.

Following that, the hours passed by quickly until they crossed over a bridge and entered the Vaelthorne Duchy. He noticed the soldiers visibly relax as cavalry patrols appeared to find out who they were.

When the group discovered Jasper was among them, they were swiftly escorted to the mansion, though the guards brushed him off, their eyes sliding past him as if his differing surname rendered him invisible.

The newcomer strode ahead, leading the way, while his brother glanced back, catching his eye with a look heavy with apology, a silent acknowledgment of the slight. Raegar waved him away as he didn't care about the Vaelthorne games.

Sometime later, the caravan arrived at his grandparents' place. It was massive and looked like your typical noble house, but there was a flare thanks to his Grandmother. He always loved coming here when he was younger.

By the time the carriage came to a stop, his mother was already greeting Jasper with a big hug and kisses all over the young man's face like the loving parent see was. This made Luthian laugh just as Yuki and the other staff exited.

Victoria spotted Saki and greeted her with a tight hug along with Yuki, only to stiffen as her eyes spotted him. He turned in the older woman's direction, which earned a gasp of shock when she saw his past injuries.

Raegar paid no mind to the sidelong glances from the Blackwood Guards stationed around them, their stares lingering but irrelevant. Instead, he turned to her, a genuine smile breaking across his face.

''Hello, Mother,'' he said warmly. ''It's good to see you're doing well.''

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''What happened to you, darling?'' she muttered after he jumped off the carriage and landed with a thud.

He smiled before telling her about the Devil Lord he had fought down south, which horrified her as she touched his face and whispered in a rage-filled voice. ''That fiend destroyed your handsome face, but luckily when Grandmother returns she will be able to heal this.''

''It doesn't bother me anymore,'' he revealed with a nervous chuckle. ''Well, that's a lie as I get paranoid when people stare at me.''

Victoria nodded with an understanding expression before suddenly hugging him as she beamed. ''Regardless of the injury I'm happy you returned to me. I've been worried this past year and have debated heading south.''

Following that, they were led inside as he spotted the Vaelthorne staff rushing around getting things ready for Jasper's wedding. While walking, his mother glanced at him with a smile.

''I want you to meet Alisha and Elise,'' she said. ''They are lovely girls who will be a good match for your brother.''

''Why?'' he questioned with a raised eyebrow. ''I have no doubt they'll judge me by the scars or my weird behaviour.''

The two women circled on him with narrowed eyes as Yuki spoke. ''What does that mean, young master?''

Victoria agreed with a nod, causing him to laugh before honestly answering. ''I'm not like your regular sixteen year old. I tend to be anti-social and prefer my own company. I also hate social gatherings as I'm always compared to Rhaelor.''

Raegar got annoyed when saying the name as his cousin annoyed him to no end. When his mother heard this her smile grew wide while hugging him. ''Don't worry about that fool, he's like his idiotic mother, Calista.''

He chuckled, but a memory appeared in his mind of a certain meeting many years ago that was the start of his feud with Rhaelor Vaelthorne, the oldest in their generation.

***

Raegar was turning five and was invited to his grandparents' mansion to meet the rest of his family at a party to celebrate his aunt Serenya's birthday. He didn't want to go as he was busy reading as the family headed toward the closest Skyhaven port.

''Darling, you can't read once we reach my parents, its rude and impolite,'' his mother said after she finished speaking with Saki.

He looked at her with wide eyes and a look of horror as his bottom lip curled. ''Why?''

Victoria's heart twisted with a pang of guilt as she watched the scene unfold, but Yuki moved, gathering Raegar into her lap with a gentle ease after the older woman gave her blessing.

She wrapped her arms around him, her voice soft as she reassured him. ''We can read, young master,'' she promised, ''But first, you'll need to say hello to your cousins and the others.''

Raegar's big red eyes looked up at the cat girl as she nodded before looking at his mother. ''I'm sure the mistress will let you read if you greet everybody and spend some time at the party.''

''That's right darling,'' Victoria commented with a smile. ''I'll have Yuki here take you to my old room. It is in a quiet part of the mansion, so your cousins will leave you alone.''

''Thank you, Mother,'' he chirped as he nestled against the cat maid.

She hummed contentedly, her nimble fingers weaving through his hair in playful patterns. By the time their journey brought them to the towering gates of Vaelthorne Mansion, Raegar had drifted into a peaceful slumber.

Yuki's gentle voice broke through the haze, coaxing him awake. ''Open your eyes, young master,'' she murmured, her tone a tender nudge back to the waking world.

Raegar woke up with a yawn before stepping out of the carriage only to see a group of white-haired adults talking. He noticed two younger women rushing up to them with big smile.

The first figure to emerge was tall and lithe, her short white hair catching the light like a halo. She appeared older than the second woman trailing behind, but as she drew near, she stopped with a grin and swept his mother into a tight, eager embrace.

''Little sister!'' she exclaimed, her voice bubbling with excitement. ''I'm so glad you made it, and look, you've brought this handsome little man with you!''

His eyes followed her as she crouched down to his level, her face splitting into a wide smile. ''Hello there,'' she said warmly. ''I'm your Aunty Serenya, your mother's eldest sister. It's a delight to finally meet you after four years.''

''Five,'' he corrected with an adorable chuckle. ''I'm turning five soon, Aunty Seren.''

When the older woman heard this, her red eyes widened in surprise as she looked at his mother. ''Can I hold him, Vic?''

She waved her away with a proud smile. ''Ask him, not me, he's an independent little boy who only lets me and Yuki so it.''

Serenya giggled before looking at him. ''Can I hold you, please?'' she asked politely.

''Will you let me read, aunty?'' Raegar asked in a cute voice which melted the two older women's hearts while Yuki beamed.

His mother bopped him on the head while scolding him. ''I told you, didn't I? There's no need to ask big sister.''

''Shhh, little sister,'' Serenya commented while picking Raegar up as she questioned. ''So you like reading, nephew? How about me and you check out my father's library? That old man collects all kinds of things.''

''Yes!'' he exclaimed, causing Victoria and Yuki to shake their heads before giggling.

His mother quickly said. ''Introduce him to Nessa, big sister. I want him to meet my best friends.''